Bake and Take Month helps promote wheat industry

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

While many sectors of the agricultural industry are prevalent throughout Oklahoma, the state often is recognized by being a leading producer of wheat. With this in mind, staff at the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center work to promote the commodity by celebrating Bake and Take Month during March.

This celebration is designed to encourage participants to bake a product made from wheat and then take it to another individual or family, such as neighbors, friends or relatives, said Renée Albers-Nelson, FAPC milling and baking specialist.

“The Bake and Take promotion is a wonderful way to get our young people to experience the joys of baking and understanding the importance of the cereal grain and wheat grown in our state,” Nelson said.

For the past several years, FAPC, as a part of OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and the Oklahoma Wheat Commission have worked with the Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development program to promote this celebratory month.

“We direct our focus toward 4-H, since this group is strong in community service and agriculture,” Nelson said. “As we promote Bake and Take Month, we encourage participants to purchase Oklahoma-milled flour.”

4-H members throughout the state are encouraged to participate in Bake and Take Month while both utilizing Made in Oklahoma Coalition products and completing the steps of service learning – preparation, action, reflection and celebration.

While the event might be pushed toward 4-H members, anyone in the state is encouraged to participate, said Mandy Gross, FAPC communications service manager.

“We would love to hear how people are celebrating Bake and Take Month and what Made in Oklahoma products are being used,” Gross said. “We are asking individuals who participate in Bake and Take Month to take photos of the ‘baking’ and ‘taking’ process and send them to us to be posted on FAPC’s social media sites.”

Individuals can submit photos by emailing fapc@okstate.edu and noting the Made in Oklahoma products used and where the baked goods were shared.

Bake and Take began in 1970 by the Kansas Wheathearts, an auxiliary organization of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, as a community service event to celebrate the wheat harvest in Sumner County, Kansas. For more than 50 years, Bake and Take Month has been an opportunity to celebrate relationships with friends and family by baking and sharing treats.

MEDIA CONTACT: Mandy Gross | FAPC Communications Services | 405-744-0442 | mandy.gross@okstate.edu